Language/Bulgarian/Grammar/Cases

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Bulgarian → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Cases

Welcome to your lesson on Bulgarian Cases! Understanding cases is crucial when learning Bulgarian, as they play a vital role in how we structure sentences and convey meaning. Cases help us determine the function of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives in a sentence, and they can change depending on the role a word plays—be it the subject, object, or showing possession.

In this lesson, we will focus on three fundamental cases: the nominative, accusative, and genitive. By the end of this lesson, you will have a solid understanding of these cases, how to use them, and you'll be equipped with examples and practice exercises to reinforce your learning.

Importance of Cases in Bulgarian[edit | edit source]

Bulgarian is a Slavic language that, unlike English, relies heavily on grammatical cases. Each case serves a unique purpose:

The nominative case identifies the subject of the sentence.

The accusative case shows the direct object of the action.

The genitive case indicates possession or relationships between nouns.

Understanding these cases will not only improve your grammar but also enhance your overall fluency in the language. Let's dive into each case in detail!

Nominative Case[edit | edit source]

The nominative case is used for the subject of a sentence—the person or thing performing the action. In Bulgarian, the nominative form is usually the base form of the noun.

Examples of Nominative Case[edit | edit source]

Here are some examples to illustrate the nominative case:

Bulgarian	Pronunciation	English
момчето	momcheto	the boy
момичето	momicheto	the girl
котката	kotkata	the cat
кучето	kucheto	the dog
колата	kolata	the car

In each of these examples, the noun is in the nominative case, as it is the subject of the sentence.

Accusative Case[edit | edit source]

The accusative case is used for the direct object of a verb—the noun that is receiving the action. In Bulgarian, the form of the noun may change when it shifts from nominative to accusative.

Examples of Accusative Case[edit | edit source]

Let's look at some examples:

Bulgarian	Pronunciation	English
виждам момчето	vizhdam momcheto	I see the boy
обичам момичето	obicham momicheto	I love the girl
храня котката	hranya kotkata	I feed the cat
разхождам кучето	razhozhdam kucheto	I walk the dog
карам колата	karam kolata	I drive the car

In these sentences, the nouns in the accusative case are the direct objects receiving the action of the verb.

Genitive Case[edit | edit source]

The genitive case indicates possession or relationships between nouns. It answers the question "of whom?" or "of what?"

Examples of Genitive Case[edit | edit source]

Here are some examples to illustrate the genitive case:

Bulgarian	Pronunciation	English
книгата на момчето	knigata na momcheto	the book of the boy
дрехите на момичето	drehite na momicheto	the clothes of the girl
играчките на котката	igrachkite na kotkata	the toys of the cat
балонът на кучето	balonat na kucheto	the balloon of the dog
ключът на колата	klyuchat na kolata	the key of the car

In these examples, the nouns in the genitive case express possession.

Summary of Cases[edit | edit source]

To summarize, we have:

Nominative Case: Subject of the sentence (who or what is doing the action)

Accusative Case: Direct object of the action (who or what is receiving the action)

Genitive Case: Indicates possession (of whom or of what)

Now that we've explored the cases in detail, let's put your knowledge to the test with some exercises!

Exercises[edit | edit source]

Here are 10 exercises to help you practice identifying and using the Bulgarian cases. Each exercise will be followed by detailed solutions and explanations.

Exercise 1: Identify the Case[edit | edit source]

Read the following sentences and identify the case of the highlighted nouns.

1. Виждам котката. (I see the cat.)

2. Книгата е на момчето. (The book belongs to the boy.)

3. Обичам момичето. (I love the girl.)

Solution:

1. котката - Accusative

2. момчето - Genitive

3. момичето - Accusative

Exercise 2: Fill in the Blanks[edit | edit source]

Complete the sentences with the correct form of the nouns in the appropriate case.

1. (момче) е на улицата. (The boy is on the street.)

2. Виждам (куче). (I see the dog.)

3. Книгата е на (момиче). (The book belongs to the girl.)

Solution:

1. Момчето

2. Кучето

3. Момичето

Exercise 3: Translate to Bulgarian[edit | edit source]

Translate the following sentences into Bulgarian, ensuring you use the correct cases.

1. The toys of the cat.

2. I love the boy.

3. The car of the girl.

Solution:

1. Играчките на котката.

2. Обичам момчето.

3. Колата на момичето.

Exercise 4: Case Matching[edit | edit source]

Match the Bulgarian nouns with their correct case.

| Noun | Case |

|------|------|

| момчето | Accusative |

| котката | Nominative |

| момичето | Genitive |

Solution:

1. момчето - Accusative

2. котката - Nominative

3. момичето - Genitive

Exercise 5: Sentence Creation[edit | edit source]

Create your own sentences using the nouns provided in the correct cases.

1. (куче) – Accusative

2. (книга) – Genitive

3. (момиче) – Nominative

Example Solution:

1. Виждам кучето. (I see the dog.)

2. Искам книгата на момичето. (I want the book of the girl.)

3. Момичето е умно. (The girl is smart.)

Exercise 6: Correct the Mistakes[edit | edit source]

Identify and correct the mistakes in the following sentences.

1. Аз виждам момичето. (I see the girl.)

2. Книгата е на котката. (The book is of the cat.)

3. Обичам кучето. (I love the dog.)

Solution:

1. Correct as is.

2. Correct as is.

3. Correct as is.

Exercise 7: Choose the Correct Answer[edit | edit source]

Select the correct case for the highlighted noun.

1. Книгата на (момче). (The book of the boy.)

2. Виждам (котка). (I see the cat.)

3. Обичам (момиче). (I love the girl.)

Solution:

1. момчето - Genitive

2. котката - Accusative

3. момичето - Accusative

Exercise 8: Rewrite the Sentences[edit | edit source]

Rewrite the following sentences using the correct noun forms in the indicated case.

1. The car of the boy. (Genitive)

2. I see the cat. (Accusative)

3. The book is of the girl. (Genitive)

Solution:

1. Колата на момчето.

2. Виждам котката.

3. Книгата е на момичето.

Exercise 9: Correct the Sentences[edit | edit source]

Correct the following sentences by changing the nouns to the appropriate case.

1. Котката е на момчето. (The cat is of the boy.)

2. Виждам момчето. (I see the boy.)

3. Играя с кучето. (I play with the dog.)

Solution:

1. Correct as is.

2. Correct as is.

3. Correct as is.

Exercise 10: Create a Dialogue[edit | edit source]

Write a short dialogue using at least three nouns in different cases.

Example Solution:

A: Здравей! Виждаш ли момчето? (Hello! Do you see the boy?)

B: Да, момчето е на улицата. (Yes, the boy is on the street.)

A: А какво е за котката? (And what about the cat?)

B: Котката е на масата. (The cat is on the table.)

In this lesson, we have covered the essential Bulgarian cases: nominative, accusative, and genitive. By practicing and applying what you’ve learned, you will build a strong foundation for your Bulgarian language journey. Keep practicing, and you will soon find yourself using these cases naturally in conversation!

Table of Contents - Bulgarian Course - 0 to A1[edit source]

Course Presentation

Alphabet and sounds

Greetings and Introductions

Bulgarian Traditions

Nouns and Adjectives

At the Restaurant

Bulgarian Cinema and Literature

Verbs and Tenses

Traveling

Bulgarian Music

Future Tense and Modals

Celebrations and Festivities

Bulgarian Theatre and Performance Arts

Sources[edit | edit source]

Other Lessons[edit | edit source]

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